


The song of Achilles - Poetry

by Mira_A_Henss



Category: The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
Genre: Love, M/M, Poetry, Regret, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-19 07:36:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 406
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18132815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mira_A_Henss/pseuds/Mira_A_Henss
Summary: A short poem that captures Achilles' feelings about his Patroclus dies.





	1. Achilles to Patroclus

Oh, how do I learn to live without you,  
When every breath I take reminds of every breath you don't,  
Every step I take makes me regret not chasing you,  
When you went, for me, for my wicked pride, into the battlefield,  
All these years, I've killed,  
For acceptance, for show, for war,  
But all these reasons pale in front of you.  
Guilt threatens to swallow me alive,  
And I begin to hate it when it doesn't.  
I do not wish to speak, for my words will no longer fall on your ears.  
I do not wish to eat, for you're not here to share half of it.  
I only thing I still want is death,  
I want it as much as I want you,  
I say want, not wanted, for not even death can stop me from wanting you.  
And the only thing bigger than my want is my love,  
And my regret that I haven't told you this.  
Oh, how do I learn to live without you?  
But then, I remember, I don't.


	2. Patroclus to Achilles

I've never liked myself until you told me you liked me.   
Then, how could I not like something you liked?   
Now I don't like myself again.   
Because of the grief I caused you,  
Because my death has made you look forward to yours.   
I wish we had never set foot in Troy,   
I wish I had stolen you far, far away from this wicked land,   
And kept you all to myself, just like the olden days,   
And hear you sing melodies and not war cries,   
And watch your fingers stained with figs and not blood.  
But it's too late and I regret not telling you this,   
Fame does not deserve you.   
I still want you, as much as I wanted you when the golden of your skin was untouched by the copper red of the war,   
But, not here, I think, do not join me here.   
You don't listen to me as payback for the time I didn't listen to you.   
You say you want to see me again,   
And you say it's the only thing you want.  
How can I not want something you want?   
For your want is my want and your need is my need.   
And, I promise to not hold you captive in a life you call worse than death.   
I promise not to hold you back,   
For all I wish is to hold your hand again.


End file.
